1. Dublin’s powerful finish
Monaghan brought the match to exactly where they wanted. Ten minutes left on the clock, the teams tied at 0-12 apiece and their talisman Conor McManus had just grabbed a pair of rousing points. Yet in the remainder of the game, Dublin outscored Monaghan 1-5 to 0-1.
If the goal from Dean Rock in the dying embers added gloss to the scoreboard, it was more significant to look at the identity of Dublin’s late point scorers – Brian Fenton, Paul Mannion, Jack McCaffrey, Fenton again and Dean Rock. Familiar figures standing tall amidst the Croke Park mayhem.
Dublin put the squeeze on Rory Beggan’s kickout, their aggressive approach shifting the course of the game. The hounding of the Monaghan defence to win the 62nd minute free that Mannion converted spoke volumes for their desire. Being able to spring players of the standing of Ciarán Kilkenny, McCaffrey and Rock from the bench, the winners of a combined 13 All-Star awards, illustrated Dublin’s depth.
Monaghan rightfully could have envisaged the game was up for grabs but Dublin are the masters of disabusing teams of such notions.
2. Monaghan’s bravery
The final scoreline was unkind to Monaghan, the seven-point gap not reflective of how much they matched Dublin stride for stride during the bulk of this encounter. Unlike Mayo in the quarter-final, they were not overwhelmed by a third quarter surge. But Monaghan are not the first team to experience the sense of feeling they are firmly in contention only to find themselves flailing behind at the final whistle as Dublin have surged clear.
The Monaghan camp had no interest in pre-match praise for their capacity to wring every last drop from their resources to compete at inter-county level. It was five years since they were a point adrift of Tyrone in an All-Ireland semi-final, the chance to reach a final is not something they get regularly.
They were smart in their approach, retaining possession to play the game on their terms and ensuring their hopes didn’t unravel early on. They needed everything to go their way, Ryan McAnespie should have squared a pass to Stephen O’Hanlon in the first half for a goal chance, Conor McCarthy was unfortunate with another shot under pressure.
Ultimately the stronger side won and while it is scant consolation for Monaghan’s efforts, their performance bristled with bravery on the elite stage.
3. The class of star players
In an All-Ireland semi-final, you look for your standout names to inject that inspiration when it is required to drag your team into the final. For Monaghan as underdogs they needed big games from Rory Beggan and Conor McManus, in testing circumstances they delivered. Beggan’s kickouts were superb in giving Monaghan a platform and he effortlessly slotted three points from ’45s in front of a baying Hill 16 in the first half.
Facing a defender as proficient as Michael Fitzsimons was never going to be straightforward for McManus, he missed a free early on and saw another shot blocked down by the Cuala man. But as ever the Clontibret forward plotted a route into the game, bagging three valuable points between the 54th and 60th minutes when the game was becoming increasingly frantic. His playing future remains a hot topic of discussion but on this Saturday evening, he stood tall.
Yet Dublin did not lack leaders either. Cormac Costello was in lethal form in attack from the off, a strong season shows no sign of slowing down as he swung over points off right and left. James McCarthy’s influence became more prominent, Kilkenny and McCaffrey did their bit off the bench.
But it was Brian Fenton who did most in the second half to bend the game to Dublin’s will. His two points heading down the stretch were outstanding, clipped over from either side of the goal into Hill 16 and both executed under immense pressure. After two successive semi-final losses, he refused to contemplate another.
